


Imperfections

by Amorette



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 20:26:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12565516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amorette/pseuds/Amorette
Summary: Snape as head of house, early days.





	Imperfections

Imperfections

Sniffling.

Severus Snape stopped in mid-stride, cocked his head to one side, and listened.

Definitely sniffling. Someone was crying in a dark corner of the hallway and trying very hard not to be heard. Damn. As Head of House, he supposed he should do something about it.

It was bad enough that Dumbledore coerced him into teaching at Hogwarts but making him Head of Slytherin House was almost more than he could bear. To begin with, he wasn't that much older than the students he was supposed to supervise. Some of them were still having trouble remembering to address him as "Professor Snape" rather than by his given name, since he had been in school with them only a few years before. The second--and even larger--problem, was that he loathed children. He hadn't like them when he had been one and his scant years as an adult had not improved his opinion.

What would Slughorn have done? Severus frowned. Slughorn had never seemed terribly kind to Snape but even that fat selfish bastard would have responded to the sound of a child crying in the dark, if only to see if it was an important child or one of the rabble. If it was the latter, Slughorn would at least send the miserable child to Madam Pomfrey for a Cheering Charm. Blast and damn.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself, Severus turned around and followed the sound to its source.

A boy was huddled behind a statue of Athelread the Unsteady. He looked up, mortified at having been caught crying. Severus had an urge to snap that since he looked to be about a Fourth Year, he should be beyond such childish behavior but thought better of it as he stared into those stricken eyes. It didn't take a Legilemens to read the child's misery. Nor did it take a genius to guess the problem, since the boy's broad face was covered in angry red spots.

"Warthelburt, isn't it?" Severus said, surprised at how soft his own voice sounded.

The boy scrabbled in his pocket for a handkerchief, then answered sullenly, "Yes, sir."

Damn.

"Come with me." He turned, trusting the boy to follow. At the door to his office, he gestured for the boy to come inside. Severus could tell the boy was expecting punishment or, at the least, a dressing down.

Right. He could handle this. He was Head of Bloody House. Severus pointed his wand at the kettle hanging in the hearth and it started steaming.

"Have they been teasing you, Warthelburt?" Severus asked, not looking at the boy as he poured out two cups. He didn't put anything in the boy's but let the child chose from what was offered on the tray on the corner of Snape's desk.

"No, sir," lied the boy, putting milk and three spoonfuls of sugar in his tea.

"Of course not," replied Severus smoothly, making it clear with a lifted eyebrow that he knew exactly what was going on. He sat down in his chair, but pushed it away from the desk so as to appear less official. He remembered Dumbledore doing that when Dumbledore was trying to be comforting.

There was a moment's silence, broken only by the sound of the boy blowing in his tea.

When Severus had been the boy's age, he had been teased relentlessly and ruthlessly, although never about spots. It was odd, when he thought about it, that as greasy as his hair and skin were, Severus had never had more than the odd spot or two. Even Lucius Malfoy had kept a ready supply of a potion to reduce spots on hand. Severus had been scrawny, with greasy hair, crooked teeth, nose enough for two, and all his other physical flaws but his skin has remained smooth, although sallow, throughout his entire adolescence. Ugly, Severus reflected, was probably punishment enough without bad skin.

The boy was sipping his tea nervously, avoiding looking at Severus. Gad, but some of those spots looked infected and painful. Child was probably genuinely suffering. Setting his tea aside, Severus went and rummaged through the potions that Slughorn had left behind. There were a few of the lesser healing potions, something for a mild headache or sour stomach, that saved a trek up to the Hospital Wing. There, in the back, a rack held several vials of what Severus was looking for. He was vaguely aware that the potion was expensive, at least for a child with only a bit of pocket money, which was why more students didn't have access to it and Lucius Malfoy had had bottles of the stuff.

Severus pulled out a vial, checked that it hadn't passed its date, and returned to stand beside Warthelburt.

"Here," he said brusquely, handing the vial to the boy. "Take this before bed. Come back next week for another dose. It should clear things up."

"But. . ." Warthelburt took the vial as if it contained dragon's blood. "I can't afford. . ."

Severus waved his hand, as if he had piles of Galleons and cost were no object. "I won't have students in my House suffering from easily cured physical maladies. I expect my students to focus on their studies." He hesitated, picturing more of the members of Slytherin House. He could probably brew the stuff up himself, at considerably less cost than the commercial version. Maybe even make a few improvements. "Take it and get back to the dormitory. It's getting late."

Warthelburt nodded, pocketed the vial, mumbled something about the tea, and scurried away.

Severus gave the matter a little thought and did brew up a quart of the spot cure, adding an extra dose of hippogriff urine to make sure it was especially effective and tasted very nasty, so that only students who really needed it would bother him for it. He took to carrying a few vials with him and when a spotty child sidled up to him, muttering under its breath, he could give it a vial without comment beside reminding the miserable creature to return the vial the next morning. By the time the Christmas holidays came round, Slytherin house was nearly spot free.

McGonagal commented, at the last Quidditch match before the end of term, that his students seemed to be thriving under Snape's care. She sounded suspicious. Severus suspected she had not approved of his appointment, either as a school master and even less so as a Head of House. Severus had merely given her a cool glance and remarked that Gryffindor seemed to be having quite a few colds that season, which might account for their utter incompetence on the Quidditch pitch. The remark had ended the discussion.

Dumbledore had said something as well, as they sat down to Christmas dinner, and Warthelburt, who had stayed over, was chatting cheerily with a Ravenclaw sitting next to him. 

"Mr. Warthelburt seems to be doing well this year," the Headmaster had remarked, tucking his beard into his robe to keep it from hanging into the soup.

"Is he?" Severus reply was airy and casual, his attention obviously on his meal, not his students. . .or the Headmaster for that matter.

"Ummm," replied Dumbledore. "Glad to see it, at any rate."

***

Severus resisted the urge to hex Draco Malfoy into the next century as the boy sullenly refused to divulge any further plans. Damn the idiot child! Did Draco know about the Unbreakable Vow Snape had made to Narcissa? If Draco failed, they were both doomed, but the arrogant git wasn't letting Severus help him at all. 

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" shouted Draco, his own wand clutched in his hand, as if the dolt could ever hope to defeat Snape in a duel. "I don't need your interference!"

Severus found his own wand in his hand, aimed squarely at Draco's heart. Two words, thought Severus, two words and Severus Snape would never have to worry about the bloody Malfoy family again. They stared at each other, both breathing hard, before Draco finally dropped his wand and muttered, "I didn't come here for this."

"No?" Severus said with a sneer. "What did you need?"

Draco suddenly flushed. He had been looking so pale and sickly all term that the blush of color made the spots along his jaw line stand out. 

Oh, that. Severus reached into his pocket and produced a vial. Draco snatched it, muttered something that might have been thanks, and rushed away.

November 19, 2005

**Author's Note:**

> Very, very old. First written when trying to find Snape's voice. Surprised it still exists.


End file.
